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Archives for May 2019

Designing a Kitchen That Will Sell Your House For You

May 29, 2019 by cdiez Leave a Comment

Vincent Stokes, while writing for Realty Times, gives us that extra spark to design an even better looking kitchen area.

The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in a house when it comes to home value and appealing to buyers while trying to sell. For this reason, it’s important to pay special attention to your kitchen when preparing a house to sell or building a house for the first time. The following is a guide for how to build a modern, desirable kitchen that will work to sell your house for you.

Keep It Clean

Because the kitchen is a room that sees significant use, it can get grimy and worn down easily. Upkeep your kitchen in order to upkeep its value. When it does come time to sell, make it a point to deep clean it. Polish all surfaces and metal, including countertops and faucets. Go at tile to clean out grout. Keep a kitchen clean and well-maintained and it will be a major asset when you do go to sell the house.

Appliances

All appliances should be energy-efficient because energy efficiency is desired in modern homes. This is not only because it is good for the environment but also because it saves money over time. Look for appliances with Energy Star labels when shopping and consider estimated average yearly operating costs. Many modern kitchen designs also hide appliances, so a design incorporating that may be worth considering as well. Consider brand too, because at least in certain areas, brands that are considered too thrifty can bring down the perceived value of the property.

Cabinets

Cabinets are another major item in the kitchen that buyers pay attention to. Their color and how well they blend into the rest of the kitchen are important, as is their size. It is amazing what a difference painting your cabinets can make. You can undertake this project yourself or hire a professional to do it. Another thing you can do is replace cabinet handles, which is a smaller upgrade but will still make them look better.

Colors

There are a number of color schemes you can choose for your kitchen. You can also change those colors anytime you want with paint, for the most part. White and gray is in right now, as is wood and more natural-looking colors and surfaces. You can also get more creative and use brighter colors such as teal or yellow. Most colors can work in the right combination, but at the end of the day, more neutral colors are easier to sell down the road.

Lighting

Lighting is also important to consider. Get modern light fixtures that will look good with the rest of the kitchen and provide strong lighting throughout the room. Ensure fixtures use energy-efficient bulbs. Remove broken or dim bulbs and replace them with new ones. Under cabinet lighting can be a good investment as it is relatively inexpensive and provides more light to workspaces.

Consider Utility

The kitchen is going to be a major place to entertain and work in most homes. For this reason, it needs to be designed with utility in mind. Most people nowadays prefer kitchens with plenty of space, both in general and on the counters. Islands are usually a good idea to put in because they give great places for preparation or entertaining as well as provide additional countertop space. Whether you are preparing a large dinner for the holidays or even if you skip lunch, you want a kitchen that will work with you.

Worth It To Remodel?

If you are considering remodeling your house, whether to sell or just to update, remodeling your kitchen is always an option. As with any addition to a property, look at it from the perspective of a cost-benefit analysis. Don’t pour more money into a remodel than you expect it will increase the value of the home by, typically around 6% of the home’s value. When remodeling your kitchen, you always want to find the right people for the job. Get referrals and quotes before making a final decision.

You are presented with a lot of options when designing a kitchen. Break it down to each individual aspect so you don’t get overwhelmed and go in with a grand plan. You will end up with a gorgeous kitchen that will be the envy of buyers.

Click here for full article

Filed Under: Home Improvement Tagged With: arden arcade luxury realtor, arden arcade real estate agent, carmichael ca dream homes, carmichael ca homes for sale, fair oaks ca homes for sale

To Roommate or Not to Roommate?

May 17, 2019 by cdiez Leave a Comment

Sites like Air BNB and Vrbo have added to the mystique of what do with a home. Should I rent the house on a monthly basis? Am I able to use something such as an air bnb for my house and rent out each of my four bedrooms separately and let the folks share the house? Either could be a great benefit on receiving rental income on the home before you sell it outright. I just had my first bnb experience about 3 weeks ago. I rented a bedroom in a home with my own private bath. It was pretty inexpensive and I had access to the kitchen and the rest of the house. For this one, I will bet that that owner of the home is making more money renting out the rooms than renting out the whole house.

Jaymi Naciri of Realty Times shares her thought on whether or not roommates are a good idea.

One way to make it more affordable is by renting out one or more rooms. This is a growing trend among homeowners, and one that even married couples are exploring in order to afford a home (or more of a home), travel, and accelerate their investment strategies.

Defraying the cost of a mortgage is great, and, in some cases, taking in tenants can be lucrative, more than covering your entire payment and putting money in your pocket every month. But, inviting roommates into your home also comes with its share of potential downsides. Here are a few things you may want to weigh before you hand over the keys.

Say goodbye to your privacy

Having someone else in your home probably means you can’t walk around naked (unless you’re in that type of thing). It also may mean there will be people making noise in the living room when you want peace and quiet or making a mess in the kitchen when you just want to make a sandwich.

About that mess…

Speaking of messes, how another person lives should be a consideration before you invite them to live in your home. Have you seen their current place? Did it look…normal?

If you’re a neat freak and your potential roommate like to leave behind items of clothing like breadcrumbs, you could have an Odd Couple situation. On the other hand, if you’re a little more casual about how you keep the house and your potential roommate likes things just so, you might end up feeling out of place in your own home.

Someone else’s romantic life

Aren’t you a little old to be living by the “sock on the door” rule? Bringing in a roommate may mean compromising your privacy in even more egregious ways, or having to tiptoe around in order to avoid an uncomfortable run-in.

Financial issues

Ultimately, it’s your finances and credit at risk no matter who you invite into your home because it’s your name on the mortgage. If you’re taking in a roommate to help make your mortgage payment, you need to know you can depend on this person to pay his or her share. No matter how well you think you know this potential roommate, it’s imperative that you do a background check and check their credit. What you don’t know could hurt you.

Click here for the full article

Filed Under: Home Improvement

Pizza Places to Check Out on National Pizza Party Day

May 17, 2019 by cdiez Leave a Comment

What better excuse to indulge in a heavenly slice of pizza (or three) than on National Pizza Party Day?! In honor of this delicious holiday (which happens to be today), we scoured the area for the best pizza parlors in town. Below are our favorite finds in the Sacramento area and beyond!

 

For the Chicago Style Pizza Lover: Are you a fan of deep dish pizza? Then head on over to Pizzeria Classico, a family-owned and operated pizza joint located on Sutter Street in the heart of Old Folsom. One of their most popular combinations is their Classico Supreme that’s loaded up with Italian sausage, pepperoni, black olives, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, and tomatoes. If you’re a vegetarian, you can’t go wrong with their Spinach Pie with fresh mushrooms, spinach, red onion and Pomodoro sauce.

 

For the New York Style Pizza Goer: Need your New York style pizza fix? Stop by Uncle Vito’s Slice of N.Y., an authentic New York parlor that has three locations in Sacramento and one in Davis. Their midtown location was the first Uncle Vito’s to open. Offering a full sports bar, pizza by the slice and an outside patio, this location has quickly become a favorite local hangout. Not sure what to order? Favorites include their New York style Pepperoni pizza and Tomato Pesto pizza by the slice.

 

For the Thin Crust Fanatic: Broderick Roadhouse is another great spot to enjoy National Pizza Party Day. Their newer Carmichael location features open seating (both indoor and outdoor), a massive bar and plenty of TV’s to watch your favorite game and devour your pizza. If you like spicy, their Ring on Fire is delicious! It comes with pepperoni, Italian sausage, house-pickled sweet and spicy peppers, red sauce, NY mozzarella, and romano cheese. Another great vegetarian option is their Satisfaction pizza that’s topped with mushrooms, roasted garlic, olives, sun-dried tomato, bell peppers, and red onions.

 

For the Ultimate Pizza Connoisseur: If you find yourself in Land Park and have a hankering for some pizza, look no further than Masullo Pizza. Armed with an 800-degree wood-burning oven and creative pairings, Masullo features Neapolitan-style pizzas that people dream about for months to come. The Elissa is a local favorite that features a dream combination of salami, fennel, onion, mozzarella, and Pecorino. Another favorite is their Eileen with mozzarella, Crimini mushrooms, bacon, cream, sage, and black pepper.

 

Do you have any other favorite spots that you visit to score a delicious slice of pizza? Let us know in the comments section below!

Filed Under: Sacramento Lifestyle Tagged With: arden arcade ca homes for sale, carmichael ca homes for sale, fair oaks ca homes for sale, national pizza day, Sacramento pizza parlors, Sacramento pizza restaurants

2019’s Housing Market Is Likely to Be Stronger Than We Thought

May 10, 2019 by cdiez Leave a Comment

Clare Trepasso writing for Realtor.com has insight on what will be a great housing market for the rest of 2019.

Despite a real estate slowdown gripping the nation, this year’s housing market is expected to be busier than realtor.com® economists originally predicted late last year. That means more home sales—and higher prices—are on the way.

The anticipated uptick in activity is due to lower mortgage rates, which make homes more affordable for buyers. The economic team expected rates to climb to 5.5% in 2019, but instead, they have hovered around 4%. (They were 4.17% on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages as of April 18, according to Freddie Mac data.) Economists say rates are now likely to rise a little to 4.5%, still well below what buyers were dreading.

However, it’ll be nothing like the feeding frenzy of recent years.

“It’s still going to be a lukewarm year for the housing market,” says Chief Economist Danielle Hale of realtor.com. “We’re going to see higher prices and slightly higher home sales than we expected. But home sales are still going to decline slightly as a result of the housing slowdown. There’s a gap between what sellers are looking for and buyers are hoping to pay.”

 While a single percentage point difference may not seem that significant, it can add more than $100 to the monthly loan payment on a median-priced home of $300,000. (This assumes buyers put 20% down.) That can translate into tens of thousands of dollars over the life of a 30-year loan.

The downside for buyers—and upside for sellers—is that prices are expected to rise more than Hale’s team originally forecast, going up 2.9% in 2019 instead of 2.2%. That’s because the swelling ranks of buyers motivated by those lower mortgage rates will increase demand—and therefore prices.

Click here for the full article

Filed Under: Real Estate News Tagged With: arden arcade dream homes, carmichael dream homes, carmichael homes for sale, carmichael houses for sale, carmichael luxury home realtor, carmichael real estate agent

How to Keep Your Home Clean When you Have Pets

May 3, 2019 by cdiez 1 Comment

Jaymi Naciri writing for Realty Times gives us the tips we need to keep our home clean with pets.

Hairballs, tracked-in mud, and accidents, oh my! Picking up after a pet (or three if you live in our house!) is no joke. So how do you enjoy your place and keep it looking spiffy when you have pets, during this and every other season?

Unless you want to live in something resembling a pig sty, you have to be smart about your pet-cleaning tools and techniques.

Spring for the good vacuum

If you have pets that shed, you know the value of a good vacuum. But if you’ve been getting by on less, and dealing with vacuums that don’t have enough suction or just aren’t intended for pet hair removal, it’s time to trade up.

Pet Life Today likes the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet Upright Vacuum, which it calls a “versatile upright vacuum easily converts into a canister unit to provide a powerful clean for your entire home.” This one came out on top after their study of dozens of vacuums thanks to its “power, versatility and efficient removal of pet hair. The ability to convert this vacuum from an upright to a canister or handheld makes it the perfect all-round choice for cleaning every area of your home. The reasonable price and high amount of positive feedback from Amazon users is another reason this vacuum takes our top position.” This vacuum is available for $263.99.

Personally, we’re partial to the Dyson V8 Animal vacuum. It gets up all the hair, it has tons of attachments and do-dads, and is also cordless, which makes it super versatile. The potential downsides: it’s pricey, at $399, and it has a small canister, which means you have to dump it out more often.

Stock up on lint rollers

We can’t decide if this giant-size, pet-themed lint roller is genius or ridiculous, but we’re definitely intrigued. We have regular-sized lint rollers stashed all over our house because they’re the greatest for removing dog hair from upholstery, rugs, bedding, and clothes. The 10-inch width of this one is enticing, and the pole sounds like a back-saver, frankly.

But the price seems a bit steep. At $21.99, we predict the 25 sheets will last us a day or two. Refills are as low as $10.49 and come with 50 sheets, but that still doesn’t compare to the five-roll (95 sheets each) combo pack for $10.79. So the real question is: How much is a pole worth?

Go for indoor-outdoor rugs

“They’ve come a long way since you last saw them in your grandparents’ basement. There are lots of stylish versions out there, and they’re available in a variety of color schemes,” said Architectural Digest. “Put a small one in front of each door—sort of like an indoor doormat—to catch any dirt and water your pet may drag in. I also recommend placing one under the sofa, dining room table, and any other place your pet likes to lounge. These rugs don’t let anything soak in, and they wipe clean with a damp rag.

If you don’t like the look or feel of indoor-outdoor rugs, look for something with a short weave. Hair will be much easier to get up if it can’t get stuck in the fibers.

Get a black light

If your pet does have an accident here and there (or even more often), a black light can help you pinpoint the urine so so you eliminate the stain and odor. “There could be urine or other waste stains your pet could be leaving around the house that you do not know about,” said Of Life + Lisa. “Once every week, conduct a sweep through of your rooms with a black light to find and eliminate these hidden stains.”

So why does this work? “Urine glows under a black light primarily because it contains the element phosphorus,” said ThoughtCo. “Cat urine, in particular, glows very brightly under ultraviolet light.”

Click here for the full article

Filed Under: Sacramento Lifestyle Tagged With: arden arcade dream homes, arden arcade homes for sale, arden arcade real estate agent, carmichael houses for sale, carmichael realtor, fair oaks dream homes

Craig Diez

Craig Diez

California REALTOR®
916-425-5884
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